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Republic of Andurra
The Republic of Andurra was a powerful and ancient nation on Eshduri, the homeworld of humanity. It was a major civilization for over 2,000 years -- originally formed as a collection of unified city-states and eventually rising to become a globe-spanning superpower. Andurra was considered the center of human philosophy and culture during ancient times, though it was also seen as an oppressive imperialist power by societies that were forcefully brought under its control. The collapse of Andurra marked the end of "The Age of Nations," and ushered in the creation of the modern Urum Hierarchy. Much of Andurra's cultural legacy has been preserved by modern educational institutions and museums. History Origins The Andurra River, located on the eastern continent of Eshduri, is considered to be a cradle of civilization. The fertile land allowed humans to develop agriculture, which in turn led to the foundation of humanity's earliest city-states. These city-states frequently engaged in skirmishes and conquests -- each attempting to forcibly unify and dominate the Andurran River Valley. The oldest and mightiest of these states was Anduruna, which remains the oldest continually inhabited city in history. By the year -120 CC, the city-states had been consolidated into three rival kingdoms: Anduruna, Kurumia, and Irikar. A large war for control of the river valley then began. Conflict raged for over a hundred years, but it was Anduruna that emerged victories -- conquering and subjugating its rivals. The unified valley was initially ruled by the five generals that had been responsible for Anduruna's triumph, each given their own region to govern. When this proved ineffective, resulting in perpetual unrest, sweeping political reforms were enacted to bring stability to the land. The ''Republic of Andurra ''was then created, allowing each region to elect their own governors and senators. A single minister presided over the senate to ensure order was maintained, but this role was strictly limited in power to prevent the formation of a dictatorship. The Early Republic For five hundred years, Andurra recovered from the wars of its foundation. It established trade routes across the entire continent, invested in infrastructure, expanded its cities, and constructed trading fleets to reach civilizations across the globe. Diplomats forged alliances and trade agreements with foreign powers in gestures of good will. Reforms allowed every citizen -- whether poor or wealthy -- to receive the same quality of education at state schools. The eliminated the ancient social classes that once dominated the older kingdoms, allowing the best and brightest to rise to the top offices of the Republic. Philosophy and the sciences flourished. Andurran texts were copied, translated, and exported to all corners to the known world. Many border states were peacefully and willingly annexed into the Republic. Around the year 570 CC, Andurran philosophers developed a belief that the Republic was destined to bring equality, justice, and enlightenment to the rest of the world. Aggressive diplomacy, trade, and military conquest were then used to bring new lands under Republic control. Expansion and Imperialism Fueled by their new belief in "liberating" the world from tyranny and barbarism, Andurra began to forcibly subjugate its neighbors. Diplomacy was used whenever possible, with Andurran leaders offering wealth and protection in exchange for territory, but military conquest was the immediate backup plan when cultures were unwilling to submit. All conquered peoples were granted full citizenship, which gave them access to the world's best healthcare and education. This policy typically prevented new lands from rising up in rebellion. It also resulted in a society of tolerance and cultural blending -- "Andurran" art and culture was heavily influenced by additions to the Republic. Citizens were free to continue worshiping their ancestral gods, and free to continue most of their traditions, provided they did not clash with Andurran laws. Between 800 CC and 1100 CC, tensions between Andurra and the Satu Dushea Empire -- a maritime power based in the south-central ocean -- quickly escalated as they both struggled for global dominance. The Andurra - Satu Dushea War After a standoff over disputed territory, Satu Dushea -- which controlled most of the western hemisphere -- launched a full-scale invasion of Andurra in the year 1100 CC. Their campaign was initially successful. Andurra lost many key port cities in the first few decades of the conflict. Whole territories followed, though not without fierce resistance. Andurra fortified their remaining lands and focused on defensive combat, hoping that Satu Dushea would exhaust its resources by launching wave after wave of invasion forces. Satu Dushea's advance slowed, eventually coming to a bloody standstill. As Satu Dushea's military was centered around its navy, infantry troops faced tremendous struggle securing inland positions. In 1320 CC, Satu Dushea suffered an irreparable economic collapse -- caused by both the war and shrinking trade. Most of Satu Dushea's provinces declared independence, and all lost Andurran territory was reclaimed by the Republic. Second Expansion After the conclusion of the war, Andurra continued to expand its sphere of influence. They united most of the eastern continent by the year 1500 CC, save for the relatively small Midnum territories in the extreme east. By 1800 CC, Andurra bought several territories once owned by Satu Dushea -- regions which were in desperate need of funds. Andurran scientists invented combustion shortly before 1900 CC and quickly ushered in the industrial age. The jet engine was invented sixty years later. This technological boom swept over the whole world, and Andurra soon came into political conflict with Salledo -- a former colony of Satu Dushea, now far more powerful than its successors had ever been. A tense cold war between Salledo and Andurra began in 2015 CC, which was made worse with the invention of nuclear weapons in 2023 CC. The Eshduri War In 2030 CC, the cold war turned hot. The world's two biggest superpowers fought all over the globe, each seeking to fully conquer the other. Rapid advances in technology -- especially military technology -- changed every aspect of society. Intercontinental missiles were invented, shortly followed by the creation of early space programs. Low orbit became a battleground. Millions of lives are lost in battle over the next several decades. Cities are bombed. Provinces are invaded. The threat of nuclear warfare was a constant worry. Andurra successfully invaded the western continent in 2160, and Salledo was ultimately defeated by 2170. Salledo's leaders had opted not to use their nuclear weapons as a last-ditch defense, fearing the ultimate consequences of global nuclear war. The Republic of Andurra then became a global nation -- and it was the only time when all of humanity was united under one government. The Global Superpower Andurra attempted to pacify unruly population using traditional means: by offering citizens access to impeccable social services and education. This worked for a few short years, but new problems resulted in widespread unrest. Andurra attempted to accommodate all ideologies and lifestyles, welcoming new political parties and activist movements. These ideologies -- such as socialism and capitalism -- were ultimately incompatible. Activists and lobbying groups increasingly bought off senators and politicians to further their own agendas. A resulting senate deadlock resulted in political stagnation. The government became so strained by corruption and polarization that civilian unrest grew even worse. Rioting became commonplace, and multiple regions attempted to secede from the global nation. One disgruntled senator became so discouraged by the system -- fearing that nations were perpetually bound to a cycle of domination and eventual collapse -- that he proposed an entirely new social structure. In this system, cultural groups bound together through ideology would be granted autonomous sovereignty. His philosophies became wildly popular, resulting in the creation of urums. The Fall of Nations The cultural sovereignty movement grew in power and popularity. Before long, the majority of people had reorganized themselves into fledgling urums -- which resulted in Andurra losing control over its citizens. By 2195, the largest urums had become sovereign states. By 2210 CC, the last Andurran patriots surrendered themselves to the movement. The Republic of Andurra was formally dissolved by the end of the year, which marked the end of conventional nations.